Gold in British Guiana. 295 
every direction, but whether the tiger or the men exhi- 
bited the greater consternation at the encounter it would 
be difficult to say. In unfrequented districts it is amusing 
sometimes to witness the antics of the monkeys, which 
have apparently never beheld human beings before, as 
they descend to the lowest branches of the trees and run 
out to their extremities in the attempt to peer into your 
face as you pass by. One species a large black spider- 
monkey is decidedly aggressive however, as it takes a 
malicious delight in hurling down dry limbs on the head 
of the unsuspecting traveller, and I have more than once 
spent un mauvais quart d'heure in dodging the shower of 
dry sticks which came rattling about my ears from over- 
head. 
The dangers of the cataracts on the rivers are generally 
much exaggerated; as a rule, with ordinary precautions, 
shooting the falls is only an exhilarating sport, some- 
thing like, but more exciting than, tobogganing ; and 
this brief description may be summed up by saying that 
to the lover of novelty and adventure, the interior of 
Guiana presents advantages unexcelled by any other 
country, while in addition to the attractions enumerated, 
there is always the prospective store of red gold ingots 
to stimulate flagging enthusiasm when other allurements 
fail. 
A good deal of interest has been excited during the 
last year or two in the question of " Opening up the 
Country," but so far without much practical result, and 
an impartial observer cannot but be struck by the reflec- 
tion that many of the arguments advanced in favour of 
the various and conflicting schemes proposed are worthy 
of having emanated from the immortal PETER BELL. 
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